Tunneling-machine.



PATENTED NOV. 24, 1903.

J. REARNS, TUN'NELING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED, SEPT. 16, 1902. N0MODEL. y l ZSHBBTS-SHEBT 1.

gwn/Seg I *512V UNITED STATES atented overnber 24, 1903 PATENT OFFICE.

l l'UNNELING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 744,763, dated November24, l1903. Application filed September 1B, 1902.` Serial Nn. 123,644.(No model.) i

T a/ZZ whom it may con/cern.'

Be it known thatLJoHN PRUE KARNs,a citizen of the United States,residing at Cripplecreek, in the county of `Teller and State ofColorado, have .invented a new and useful Tunneling-Machine, of whichthe following is a specification. p Y

The invention relates to certain improvements in apparatus for drivingtunnels, drifts,

air-courses, and the like-for mining or other purposes, and has for itsprincipal object to construct an apparatus which will rapidly cut itsway through any material and in which the diameter of the tunnel formedwill be somewhat larger than that of the main portion of the apparatusin order to prevent binding and to reduce power required for operation.

A further object of the invention is to contact with the circular wallof the tunnel.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus ofthis character` in which a large number of drills or cutters arearranged on the forwardface of a revoluble support in such manner as tocover the entire area of the tunnel and at the same time minimize theamount of-work which 'each' separate cutter is to perform.

A still further object is to arrange the cutters in groups and toprovide for the ready removal of the same for sharpening worn drills andplacing new drills in position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide for the employmentof aplurality of cutters disposed at an angle to the main support andhaving their cutting edges arranged in a circular row of a diametergreater than l the diameter of the support, so that the opening formedwill be sufficiently large to permit the free turning of thedrill-support.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novelconstruction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustratedin the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in theappended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form,proportions,

size, and minor details of the structure may be made without departingfrom the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. v

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective .View of atunneling-machine constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2is a front elevation of the same, the angularly-disposed drills beingremoved. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the revoluble drillsupport. Fig.4 is a transverse sectional elevation of the apparatus on the line 4 4of Fig, 2, all of the drills or cutters, except those which projectbeyond the peripheral'line of the support, being removed. Fig. 5 isadetail view of a portion of the drill-support, showing the constructionof the ball-bearings therefor. Fig. 6 is a transverse sectionalelevation of a portion of the same on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 isa detail view of one of the drills or cutters detached from its support.Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the thrust-frame which supportsthe drillcarrier and holds the same in position against the material tobe removed. Fig. 9 is a detail sectional View illustrating,cuan-enlarged scale, a portion of' the structure shown in Fig. 4.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts throughout the several gures of the drawings.

'The main frame of the drill-support comprises a pair ofconcentrically-disposed rings 10 and 1l, united by a number of radiatingspokes 12, of which there may be any desired number, in accordance withthe diameter of the outer ring 10. Secured to or formed inte'gral withthe outer ring 10 isa circular-web 13, in which are formed a number ofopenings for the passage of antifriction-balls 14:, held on ball-seatsformed in socket-pieces 15, secured to the inner face of the web. Theballs 14 are arranged, preferably, in a' continuous circular row topermit lfree rotative movement of the carrying-frame and to allow thesame to move forward as the work progresses.

The drill-carrier is supported on' a pair 4of curved plates 16, arrangedbelow said drill- IOO carrier and provided with ball-bearing supports 17to permit forward movement of the plates as the material is removed,these plates forming a smooth bearing-surface for contact with thebearing-balls in the periphery of the web 13 and properly supporting thedrill-carrier in position. The two plates are connected by suitable rods18 to the sides of the drilling-machine which is carried by a support inthe form ot' a pair of connected rods 19, having at one end a pair offoot-plates 20, adapted for contact with the inner circular wall of thetunnel, and a similar plate or plates 21 being arranged above the upperend of said bars and connected thereto by jackscrews 22 of any ordinarycharacter. This permits of the locking of the plates in desired positionwhile the drill is moved back and forth, and when necessary the postsmay be released and the plates forced forward, the support being thenlocked in position until further adjustment is necessary.

The support serves as a carrier for any ordinary form of drivingmechanism, any suitable power being employed and connected to a shortshaft-section 23, projecting rearwardly from the second portion of thetool-carrier.

The front face of the several rings and spokes are provided with slots,as 25, for the reception of the cutters, and the latter are arranged inthe manner more clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so as to cover theentire area of the tunnel.

At the center of the drill-support are four angularly-disposed slots forthe reception of the rear portion of a drill member 26, having fourradiating arms and provided with a central post adapted to an opening27, the post i or stem of the drill being locked in position On each ofthe radiating arms or spokes are a number of angularly- 2 disposed drillmembers or cutters 29, having suitable stems passing through openings301 in the arms or spokes and locked. in position l by a set-screw 28.

by the set-screws 31.' The two concentric rings 10 and 11 are providedwith radiallyalining slots 25 for the reception of radiallyshowndetached in Fig. 7 and each being provided with a stem 33, adapted tosuitable openings 3i in the outer ring 10 and locked in position thereinby set-screws 35. With the exception of the central cutters 26 each ofthe cutters thus far described are in the form of plates or bars, eachhaving a plurality of cutting-points at the outer edge thereof andforming a series of cutters locked in position by a single set-screw, sothat by loosening the screw a number of cutters may be simultaneouslyremoved for resharpening when necessary.

It will be observed that the outer ends of the cutters 32 are extendedsomewhat beyond the peripheral line of the revoluble drill-carrier, thisbeing for the purpose of cutting au permit the ready rotation of thecarrier without frictional contact with the side walls of the tunnel. Inorder to assist 'the outer cutters, I employ a number ofdiagonally-disposed drills or cutters 38, adapted to suitableguiding-openings in the outer ring 11 and adjustable longitudinally bymeans of a setscrew 4l, so that the drill may be gradually forced out asit becomes worn. To assist in holding the drills 38 in position, Iemploy wedges 40, which are driven into portions of the drill-receivingopening and locked in position by set-screws 39.

In operating the device the drill-carrier is mounted on the two plates16 and reciprocated at any desired speed, the material detached by thecutters being removed bya stream of water directed through the openspaces between the drills and flowing out between and under thesupporting-plates, thus keeping the tunnel clear.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combinationwith a tunneling-machine, of a revoluble drill-support comprising aplurality of connected ring and spoke members each having groovedforward faces, drills or cutters having their base portions adapted tosaid grooves, each of the drills or cutters having arearwardly-projecting stem extending through an opening in the support,and means for locking said stems to said suport.

p 2. The combination in a tunneling-machine, of a revoluloledrill-support comprising a plurality of connected ring and spoke membershaving grooved forward faces and provided with openings extending fromthe bottoms of the grooves to the rear faces of the ring and spokemembers and adapted for the reception of drill-stems, a series of drillsor cutters fitted within said grooves and provided with stems adapted tothe openings, and set-screws adapted to threaded openings in the ringand spoke members and engaging said stems.

3. The combination in a tunneling-machine, of a revoluble drill-supportcomprising a plurality of connected ring and spoke members havinggrooved forward faces, a plurality of cutters adapted to said groovesand arranged at varying angles, those of the spoke members beingarranged parallel with each other and those on the ring members beingdisposed in substantially radial lines, each cutter being in the form ofa plate having a plurality of cutting-points, substantially asspecified.

4. The combination in a tunneling machine,of a drill-support comprisinga plurality of connected ring and spoke sections having grooved forwardfaces, cutter plates or bars adapted to said grooves, angularly-disposedcutters adapted to guiding-openings in the drill-support and projectingbeyond the peopenin g somewhat larger than said carrier to l rpherythereof, means for positively adjust- IOO IIO

ing the position of said angular cutters, and means for locking saidcutters in adjusted position. y

5. The combination in avtunneling-machine, of a revoluble support,cutters carried thereby, curved plates having antifrictionrollers topermit forward movement thereof independent of the support, andantifrictionballs carried bythe support and resting on said plates tothereby permit free revoluble and free longitudinal movement of thesupport, substantially as specified.

6. The combination in a tunneling machine, of the revolubledrill-supporting meinber having antifrction-balls,curved plates formingbearing-surfaces for said balls,fand

antifriction balls or rollers carried.y by said plates to permitmovement of the plates independent of the drill-supporting member.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afxed mysignature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN PRUE KARNS. Witnesses:

PETER BRENNAN, SILAs C. BENNETT.

